Lots of good stuff in the past couple of weeks;
UNPROCESSED - Gold
Already mentioned these guys, but DAMN it's amazing. The next generation of progressive metal is right here, right now.
https://youtu.be/XvHQDcpaM8Q
LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE How to Shroud Yourself with Night
Gothic "doom" metal in the 90's vein like Sentenced, Tiamat, Type O, Moonspell but with a modern "open-mindset" that sees band pull hints of black, death and occassionally core into their sound. Still rooted in the gothic sound though, and pretty dang awesome at that.
https://youtu.be/N9vj9y7tJn8
SIGH - Shiki
I havent' had enough time with this yet, but I already enjoy it more than the last album. 2012's "In Somniphobia" is my favorite Sigh album, and I hear a few things in "Shiki" that hints at that album. As always it's a crazy ride when listening to this band. Avantgarde progressive 70's rock with neoclassical metal stylings, black metal and general weirdness ... in Japanese!
https://youtu.be/ikER7txirXQ
MACHINE HEAD - Of Kingdom and Crown
Shoot me, I like this stuff! I went to plenty of MH concerts back in the day, always on frontrow with the stage divers jumping right over my head. Groove metal / thrash is the name of the game now as back then. This is the best MH album in the last 15 years.
https://youtu.be/mgSHazBbDNU
THE HALO EFFECT - Days of the Lost
What can be said about this that hasn't already been said? If you miss early In Flames then this is it. Love it!
https://youtu.be/MDR52-9Zns4
SEVENTH STORM - Maledictus
Interesting mixture of gothic atmosphere, power metal, some death and black and lots of mediterranean folk stylings (Evergrey meets Moonspell?). It's not a perfect album, but there's plenty of good stuff to think that these guys can come up with a brilliant release down the road.
https://youtu.be/dg5Odd63FT8
ROYAL CODA - To Only a Few At First
Gosh, I really like this album, but man did they not do themselves any favors of releasing it just a few weeks after the newest Dance Gavin Dance, as it's their biggest comparison (given that it's former DGD vocalist Kurt, and it's DGD band leader Will on guitar). Nevertheless, it's, so far, the second best album in the progressive post-hardcore genre this year
https://youtu.be/4IpyI0qM5zs
MUSE - Will of the People
UK Queen wannabe's are back with another masterpiece. Matthew Bellamy is one of the greatest songwriters of our time in my biased fanboy opinion. Pomp and plenty of circumstance.
https://youtu.be/oyu1WO0hRB0 (WATCH THIS VIDEO!!!)
Plus a bunch of great new singles:
Threshold - King of Nothing (melodic prog metal) -
https://youtu.be/fOx_pudo2aU
Them - Welcome to Fear City (heavy metal/power/thrash with King Diamond atmosphere) -
https://youtu.be/J5qkxlx7i6A
Green Carnation - Time in a Bottle (cover of Jim Croce's 1973 classic - killer!!!) -
https://youtu.be/9CNeMbmhb_I
Electric Callboy - Hurrikan (metalcore goes German dance - that video is a total mind f***) -
https://youtu.be/Vf3LqQluWag
Avatarium - Death, Where is Yoour Sting (doom metal goes 70's Heart ... or the other way around) -
https://youtu.be/u-IGNzCsUx8
Candlemass - Scandinavian Gods (doom! total disappointment as Johan sounds horrible ... ugh
) -
https://youtu.be/rIdEdZ9i-x8
Nova Charisma - Hollow People (Donovan is the best vocalist in progressive post-hardcore bar none - love it!) -
https://youtu.be/4KqMmgdbpck